How To Avoid Getting A Cold On An Airplane

Manuel-F-O via Getty Images Being stuck on an airplane for hours at a time can be draining and irritating ― especially if you’re sharing a cabin with a sick passenger who can’t seem to stop coughing every 15 seconds. “This should be with hand sanitizer or with soap and water, but it should be thorough, making sure to include frequently missed areas like the back of the hand and under the fingernails,” Eiras said. Data shows a person sitting in an aisle seat has an 80 percent chance of getting sick if there’s an ill passenger in the aisle seat directly across from them, Business Insider reported. “You should always make sure you get sufficient rest before you travel,” said Marina Gafanovich, a New York City-based internist specializing in travel and internal medicine. However, these supplements may not make a real difference in keeping you from falling ill. “All the studies to date that have looked at supplements like vitamin C, echinacea, zinc, ginger and other herbs have basically demonstrated no benefit in terms of preventing colds, or making colds shorter,” Eiras said.